Recently Enjoyed Things | July 12, 2024

Avoiding the Internet Until September

Okay, I need to be honest with you guys. I am fragile. I’m the snowflake that boomers have always accused millennials of being. After the 4th of July, I have to close my eyes and ignore hard things because otherwise, I can’t cope.

What I actually need is to mute Instagram and stay the hell out of Target.

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With an eye-roll meant to mask a frantic emotional reaction, I recently laughed that after the 4th of July, everything marketing-wise switches into “back to school” mode. Look around, it really does.

And then there are also some people who make loving fall their entire personality, bless them, and look, they have their place in our society, but when they start pimping pumpkins in late July, early August, I feel panicky, like I’m being rushed out of my house for a trip I haven’t packed for yet. I’m trying to be mature enough to be happy for people who like that kind of thing, but for me, summer started maybe two weeks ago. My kiddo hasn’t been out of school for a month yet. In northern Michigan, it was 60º just last week. But our culture’s marketing department has an obsession with hustling us to the next thing because they MUST DRIVE SALES. And if the big summer holiday is over, that can only mean one thing: fall.

I’m embarrassed that I have a real, emotional and anxious reaction to this manufactured rushed pace. I am not ready to consider cold weather cycling back around, and frankly I shouldn’t have to. We have two solid months of summertime weather ahead of us and if I weren’t constantly bombarded with the fall hype, I wouldn’t feel like it’s all slipping through my fingers.

But that’s the world I live in, I say. Ah, but do I? Or is it just the world that I complicitly participate in? Couldn’t I just like, take a bare minimum of action and just mute the IG accounts that stress me out? Could I stay out of Target and Walmart and everywhere else that sells notebooks and pencils until it’s more seasonally appropriate for me?

Sure could, folks. I can accept responsibility for myself, stuff my fingers in my ears and go LALALALALA can’t hear youuuu!

Taking responsibility for myself? Groundbreaking.

That’s what I’m trying henceforth this summer. Need a Target thing? Order for pick-up. Mute KJP until October. Pour another margarita to drink on the patio and bring sandwiches to the beach for a dinner picnic. It’s still summer, baby and it’s gonna be for a good long while.

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But first, some housekeeping: there’s some affiliate links in here. But aren't they everywhere? Anyway, if you click on something and buy it, I might earn a commission at no cost to you.

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Recently Enjoyed

Reading

I’m passionate about reading and sharing books that are readily available at your library and don’t feature a waitlist 47 people long. So these are rarely new, hot releases, but if you’re intrigued, there’s a good chance for instant gratification at your library.

• (Serious) New Cook - Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin // I love to page through cook books with fancy recipes, especially while I eat lazy things like salad or best, take-out. This one has some realistic recipes that I actually want to try though, and it’s just like, pretty. I might buy this one (I’m borrowing this copy from the library).

• Carnival of Snackery - David Sedaris // I mentioned this last week, or maybe even the week before, and I’m still working on it. I halted to read a book about King Charles III that I borrowed from the library (and could not put down), but I’m back in the saddle with Sedaris and enjoying the ride immensely.

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Shopping

Well, it started. The entire GD internet is on sale this week in an effort to remind our lazy summertime brains that we like to shop. This is the first summer I’ve dabbled with affiliate links and tbh, there is a noticeable drop in the summer months. We’ve got other things on our minds right?! Of course we do, but it does bring some clarity to why Prime Day is in July. And Circle Week, and Walmart week, and all the other competing days. Big Corp need to rustle up some SALES.

• ⭐ I’m just not in a shopping mood, but I’ll check to see if any of the stuff I buy anyway is on sale. It’s a good time to stock up.

• I’ve had really good luck with Poshmark and ThredUp lately. I snagged a Kate Spade bag I’ve been eyeing for a couple years (no exaggeration!) for well under retail last week and the joy I felt at a.) finding a treasure and b.) getting it for a steal is unmatched, pure happiness. I sold a couple of the purses out of my closet too, so in $$$ terms, it was more of a trade that didn’t actually cost me anything.

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Recent Saves

I don’t know why I need to read something like this to turn up the font size on my computer, but I do. Here it is in case you do too. Permission granted.

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3 Things

I’m just really enjoying lately

• Stick of Butter Yellow // Specifically on my fingernails. I live in a corporate office and I can promise you that even with the lightest of summer tans, acquired only by rolling my car’s window down and hanging my arm out, it just looks so good. Now I’m interested in a butter yellow swimsuit.

• Swim Dress // Speaking of swimsuits, I ordered one of these and my bikini days are officially behind me. Why would I even bother with the self-hatred that inevitably accompanies a two piece when I can just shimmy on this dress that I…checks notes…can swim in?! I felt little sexy in it too.

  • RED ALERT: This JCrew style is 70% off as I write this. It’s a final sale, but for $30, I’d take the risk. Swim dresses are spendy!

  • I like this bandeau style one from Lands End too.

• NYT Connections // It’s kind of hard, tbh. Every morning, as I drink my coffee, I complete the Wordle and mini crossword puzzle from NYT. I recently picked up Connections and it’s sometimes swift, but often requires real brain stretching. You get 16 words and have to put them in groups of 4, discovering how they’re connected and it can be really weird. I present today’s mystery as I am currently stumped:

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Sending You on Your Way

(Interesting things I found on the internet this week)

• ⭐ GOOD. Kids are not content.

• Shifting towards some lighter fare and a fun peruse: 25 Best Cocktails to Make This Summer

• I have joked that living next-door to my husband might be totally nice, but some people take that seriously. Interesting!

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Last Week - In case you missed it:

Enjoying the long weekend, which of course, went by way too quickly. The return of Nalgene bottles? And my every-damn-day list.

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PS -

I’d love to see you over on Instagram. You can find me at recentlyenjoyedthings.

I’m also talking books, beauty, and style over at recentlyenjoyedthings.com

Here’s a few things I wrote about recently:

• A personal post, Life Lately.

• What are your plans for the summer? Here’s mine.

• Everything I liked and recommended, all in one place.

And if you enjoyed today’s newsletter, would you consider subscribing? I aim for one newsletter a week, and usually on Friday, so if I may be so bold, it’s a lovely treat for you inbox, just before the weekend.